Silanes and amino-silanes are widely used in the chemical industry, mostly as coupling agents between inorganic and organic surfaces. These compounds have also found application for metal-surface protection. The protective treatment is applied from an aqueous medium, possibly from solvent systems containing lower alcohols and water, depending upon the characteristics of the silanes. Representative of this state of the art are: U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,908, Morehouse et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,921, Hedlund, and French Pat. No. 1,207,724, Morehouse et al.
Quaternized amino-silanes are known, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,118, Heckert et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,025, Kinstedt, to be suitable for conferring soil release properties to metallic and vitreous surfaces upon application from a wash or rinse-solution. The like quaternized amino-silanes, upon incorporation in aqueous detergents, are subject to deactivation, possibly following polymerization during storage.
It is also generally known that silane metal-surface treatment is usually carried out under slightly acidic conditions (pH 3-5) in order to prevent polymerization of the silane monomers in the aqueous medium which polymerization is known to decrease the effectiveness of the surface treatment.
The preparation of a broad class of gamma-amino-propylalkoxysilanes is known from German Application DOS No. 17 93 280.
Silanes, inclusive of amino-silanes, have been used in industrial fiber treatment technology, mostly in combination with polysiloxanes. This art is represented by German Patent Application: DOS No. 27 26 108; DOS No. 14 69 324; DAS No. 23 35 751; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,273, Weiland.
Such known industrial fiber/substrate treatments quantitatively aim at chemically attaching, to the substrate, an organic polymer with a view to impart permanently modified fiber properties such as water-repellency, shrink-proofing, bactericidal properties, and so on. Silanes are used in a coupling/adhesion agent functionality, i.e., the silane is non-releasably affixed to the substrate. For example, a process for giving permanent shrink resistent properties to woollens as known from Belgian Pat. No. 802,311, Dow Corning, uses a mixture of organopolysiloxanes and silanes.
Treatment compositions for synthetic fibers containing amino-silanes and epoxysiloxanes are known from German Patent Application DAS No. 25 05 742, Tenijin Ltd. The treated fibers have enhanced compression-elasticity, smoothness, flexibility, softeness and good usage characteristics. The silane acts as a coupling agent for depositing the active ingredient, i.e. the silicones.
A number of textile treatment compositions inclusive of solid cleaning compositions are formulated with a view to ensure the machine surface is compatible to the treatment liquor. Frequently, this is achieved with the aid of alkaline water-soluble silicate. However, in many cleaning compositions, the like silicates could not be used because of incompatibility and other well-known formulation deficiencies. For example, those attached to liquid detergent compositions which are deficient in this respect.
There is also a standing desire to improve the machine surface, particularly the enamel-coated surfaces, to make it better compatible to the fabric conditioning operation itself and furthermore to provide some extra-protective effect which will safeguard the machine during the subsequent laundry cycle.
It is an object of this invention to provide fabric conditioning compositions which are excellently compatible to the machine wherein the conditioning treatment is carried out.
It is a further object of this invention to formulate fabric conditioning compositions capable of providing machine surface protection and coating which will exhibit its benefits during the subsequent laundry operations.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide textile rinse softening compositions capable of effectively protecting the machine during the softening treatment and also conferring additional protection during the subsequent laundry treatment.